State's Unclaimed Property Auctions Sells 8,000 Items

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs says he now has the results from the unclaimed property auction, a week-long online sale, which closed on Friday, December 4.

Illinois has held this auction for more than 15 years. Bidders paid $73,000 for 8,000 pieces, including commemorative coins, jewelry and baseball cards. Items were considered for auction after at least 10 years of unsuccessful attempts to contact their owners.

“We always prefer to find the owner of an item, and we search for years in an effort to do so,” Treasurer Frerichs explains.

He also says for the items that are auctioned, the office holds the cash value for the owner or owner’s family no matter how long it takes.

Some of this year’s winning bids include: $12,052 for an Engelhard 10oz gold bar and $1,391 for a 1923D Saint Gaudens Double Eagle gold piece. A lot that included a 1967 Mickey Mantle Topps baseball card, a 1966 Sandy Koufax Tops baseball card and a 1982 Baltimore Orioles Future Stars Topps baseball card that included Cal Ripken Jr. went for $467. Frerichs says all items exceeded appraised estimates by an outside vendor.